See a Suicidal Post on Facebook? Here's What You Need to Do

Written by on June 16, 2016

Coinciding with an alarming rise in suicide rates in the U.S., Facebook has released tools that will hopefully save lives, an announcement yesterday revealed. Now if you see a post—from anywhere in the world—that is suggestive of suicide or self-harm, there’s a drop-down menu that can help. Simply click “report this post,” “I think it shouldn’t be on Facebook,” and then the self-harm/suicide option. It will prompt you to reach out to the person in distress (using their suggested language, if you prefer) or flag it for Facebook to evaluate. A specially trained team monitors the flags 24/7 and can respond. The tool also features information on prevention and what to do if a user feels suicidal as well as contact information for help lines (see below). We’re all about Facebook using its extraordinary reach to assist those in need.